Internal

Internal Team Organization

Original Project Description:

The use of ultrasound to guide medical procedures has quickly become the standard of care.

Interventions such as central venous access, nerve blocks, joint injections and aspirations, and biopsies

all routinely use ultrasound in realtime to guide a needle to a target. A current limitation to optimal use

of ultrasound is the need for a “3rd hand” during performance of these procedures. One hand holds the

ultrasound, one holds the needle another provider injects or aspirates on a syringe.

We propose a better alternative using a counter balanced or actuated lockable arm to hold the

ultrasound probe in position while the provider guides the needle and controls the syringe.

Attempts at doing this have involved solutions such as a complex robotic arm:

Although these types of solutions would work, they are much more complicated and likely expensive

than is needed for the task being performed.

Some important design features, however, will be:

1. Low cost

2. Easily mountable to existing infrastructure (ultrasound cart, bed etc) but not occlude view of

ultrasound screen

3. 6 DOF

4. Stays still once the ultrasound is put into place

5. If patient moves suddenly, the probe would move as well and wouldn’t be a fixed object

6. Low profile so that sterile probe cover could fit over probe and arm

7. Able to maintain the provider applied force to the patient but not exceed a certain threshold

force

Budget:

$1,000

Sponsor: Preetham Suresh, pjsuresh@health.ucsd.edu

Primary Contact: Shiv Patel, shp093@ucsd.edu

Project Management - Progress Reports, Risk Reduction, and Schedules

References - Links to useful documents, similar concept designs, and sponsor resources